Identify this cartridge

AdrianM

AdrianM

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Hi,

A friend and collector got a box of old rounds with a lot of milsurps he bought. He asked me to help him find out it's identity.

I am at work, so I can't post pics until tonight.

It's a FMJ round with the tip painted white. The base is stamped "1942 D | Z".

Any ideas?

Adrian
 
Does it look like this?

d1z_303.jpg


If so then it's probably Indian.

Could also be Defence Industries from Verdun QC. I'm not sure what the headstamp looks like for that though.
 
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DI = Defence Industries. Z = nitrocellulose propellant, not cordite. Canadian. Non-corrosive Boxer primed. IIRC white tip = tracer.
 
30/06 FTW - You have been looking at that Cushman site again!

It is not Indian as that site says, but Canadian. The use of the "D" for Dum Dum Arsenal and the "I" for Indian ownership stopped being used about the time of WWI.

"DI" is Defence Industries, a crown company that made millions of rounds of .303 inch ammo in WW2. The "Z" indicates nitrocellulose propellant. These are known as "universal" cases as they do not show the type of load in the headstamp and relied on tip colour for identification. In this case the white tip identifies it as Tracer G Mark IV, an air service day tracer tracing to 550 yards at 10,000 feet.

Regards
TonyE

Edit - sorry, previous posts landed whilst I was typing!
 
TonyE said:
30/06 FTW - You have been looking at that Cushman site again!

It is not Indian as that site says, but Canadian. The use of the "D" for Dum Dum Arsenal and the "I" for Indian ownership stopped being used about the time of WWI.

"DI" is Defence Industries, a crown company that made millions of rounds of .303 inch ammo in WW2. The "Z" indicates nitrocellulose propellant. These are known as "universal" cases as they do not show the type of load in the headstamp and relied on tip colour for identification. In this case the white tip identifies it as Tracer G Mark IV, an air service day tracer tracing to 550 yards at 10,000 feet.

Regards
TonyE

Edit - sorry, previous posts landed whilst I was typing!
Click to expand...

So, you're saying this is an aircraft round ?

Grizz
 
I am amazed at the quantity of duff information running about on the Internet these days.

I wrote to that clown 3 or 4 years ago regarding exactly that piece of misinformation.

Never heard back, of course.
 
tiriaq said:
DI = Defence Industries. Z = nitrocellulose propellant, not cordite. Canadian. Non-corrosive Boxer primed. IIRC white tip = tracer.
Click to expand...
as it seems to be a tracer, I would suppose this makes it a prohib' ammo, am I correct ?
 
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woodchopper said:
nope tracer is fine

incindery and explosive rounds are bad
Click to expand...
Oh... I thought tracer were included as well. Thanks for the precision !

Not to go too much off-topic, but is there any retailer selling tracers ammo (new or surplus) ?

edit:
FWIW, CBSA seems to consider tracer as prohib':

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/pub/bsf5044-eng.html
Consult with the Explosives Regulatory Division at NRCan to determine if the ammunition you wish to import is authorized and approved for importation and use in Canada. Note that tracer, armour-piercing and similar military cartridges are prohibited under Canadian law.
Click to expand...

but it is not listed by the "Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted" (http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-98-462/FullText.html).
 
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Grizzly Adams said:
So, you're saying this is an aircraft round ?

Grizz
Click to expand...

Yes, it. Is for aircraft use.

The various tracers were:
RL Tracer - Air service, white to 50-100 yards
VIIT - Land service to 800 yards
VIIG/G Mark I - Air and Land service, bright to 800 yards
G.Mark II - Air and land service, bright to 1,000 yards
G Mark III - Naval service, bright to 800 yards
G Mark IV - Air service day, bright to 550 yards
G Mark V - Naval service, dark to 550 yards
G Mark VI - Air service day , bright to 550 yards (simplified G Mark IV)
G Mark 7 - Naval service, dark to 100 yards, bright to 1,000 yards
G Mark 8 - Land and Naval service, dim to 100 yards, bright to 1,000 yards

Regards
TonyE
 
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